


Ray and Nora Are Not Ross and Rachel, But Chandler and Monica

by psychoroach



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-11 05:18:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18423654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychoroach/pseuds/psychoroach
Summary: This is a coda to 4 x 10 "The Getaway" which turned into me spilling my irritation over Mona's line that Ray and Nora are Ross and Rachael, Nate and Ray talking about Nate's dad, and Ray being added to The List.





	Ray and Nora Are Not Ross and Rachel, But Chandler and Monica

**Author's Note:**

> Read, review, kudos!

After the death of his father, Nate left the Time Bureau, disenchanted with the entire thing, wanting to get away and get back to what he knew best: travelling around on the Waverider and saving time itself with his friends. He and Nora had talked and he didn't blame her, knew his father's real killer was out there, so he was ok when they started hiding her on the ship, even though Sara knew it wouldn't do much to fix her relationship with Ava. To be honest, she wasn't even thinking about it anymore, just wanting to put it behind her and do her job. 

Ray stood in the kitchen of the Waverider fixing himself a gluten free, dairy free, vegan sandwich (Mick had wandered through and asked why he was putting a salad on pita bread, it baffled Ray since he didn't know Mick even knew what pita bread was, he got over it quickly but Mick left before he could explain it wasn't pita bread). After saving Nixon from the "lie bug" as he called it in his head, things had been restored and everything on the Waverider was quiet. Nora had bonded with Charlie and Zari and they spent a lot of time together, which should've worried Ray, but he chose to see the positive in things and focus on the fact that Nora was making friends, female friends, which was always good for a woman. That made him happy. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts when someone walked into the kitchen area and he looked up, flashing a bright smile at Nate. "Hey, sandwich?" 

Nate looked down and eyed it briefly before he flashed a smile at Ray. "You know, I'll pass." Instead he asked Gideon to make him a plate of nachos and a beer. Once he had the food, he sat down beside Ray, who was licking light mayo off his thumb. 

Ray eyed him for a brief second before clearing his throat. "How are you doing?" 

Nate shrugged a shoulder, cracking his thumb in a nervous gesture. "I'm...I'm ok, I guess. I'm glad I got the chance to make up with my dad...I'm...I just..." He sighed quietly. "I'm trying not to think about it too much." 

Ray put a hand on his shoulder. "You know I'm here to talk if you want." 

"I know, but I'm not expecting you to. I know...I know dad sort of made life hard for all of you for a while." Nate pointed out, leaning slightly into Ray's touch, needing the physical contact. "I wouldn't expect you to..."

"Hey, no." Ray made a face. "Don't do that. He was your _dad_ , Nate. That's all I care about, and he...he died. I just want to be here for you while you're...coming to terms with everything." 

Nate smiled at him. "I appreciate that. I do. I just...I'm still siphoning through all my feelings right now. Once I figure them out, you'll be the first person I come to." 

"Good." Ray said quietly. "I'm glad." 

"So...how do you like the newbie?" Nate asked, swiftly changing the subject. 

"Mona? She's...she's ok, I guess." Ray looked down and picked at his sandwich, avoiding eye contact with Nate.

He raised his eyebrows and then frowned. Ray liked everyone and was a shining beacon when he talked about everyone, even Mick. "What?"

"Well, Nora doesn't like her. I have to say...after what she said, I'm not sure about her either." He admitted. 

"What did she say?" Nate asked. 

"She...compared us to Ross and Rachael, you know, from Friends." Ray went back to his sandwich. "I know it was like, the popular ship back in the day, but it was so toxic. Rachael was ok, you know, she started out kind of vapid and problematic, but she grew a lot during the show and became a pretty great character. Ross...he was awful, Nate! He treated Rachael like she was an object. He dated plenty of girls over the series, when they weren't together, but anytime she dated, he would go ballistic. She couldn't even be _friends_ with a guy, minus Chandler and Joey, without Ross freaking out about it. Remember when she worked at that company with that guy? And he brought over lunch and tried to..." 

"I remember." Nate promised. "Ray, you're nothing like Ross. I mean...in regards to Nora anyway." 

Ray frowned. "What's that mean?" 

"Well with Felicity...you bought out the company..." Nate hedged.

"Ok that wasn't one of my finer moments." Ray ran his fingers through his hair. "I can admit that. I don't know what I was thinking, I stalked that poor girl...oh God I really am like Ross." 

Nate held back a laugh. "It was your first relationship after..." He trailed off. "You were a little...awkward sure, but she never told you no. She never told you to stop, or like...put a restraining order against you. Felicity realized, deep down, that despite your awkwardness sometimes, that you're a good guy, and pretty harmless." 

Ray's shoulders slumped. "Thanks, that means a lot to hear, Nate." 

He swatted his arm lightly. "If anything you and Nora are like Monica and Chandler." 

He made a face. "I...is that any better?" 

Nate rolled his eyes. "Of course it is. Chandler and Monica had a great romance. Sure he was kind of...awkward and strange, and she was kind of intense...oh my God you and Nora really are Chandler and Monica."

Ray looked at him flatly. 

Nate went on quickly. "They had their quirks, but they really loved each other! You know, despite not working on paper, they looked past that and really...got to the heart of each other. Rachael and Ross got together because of some lame inevitability and because they had a child. I guarantee you that they realized down the road they weren't good for each other and broke up again. Quite frankly Rachael worked better with Joey, the writers were just too pussy to pull the trigger on it for very long because they didn't want to upset Ross and Rachael fanatics who couldn't look past the whole 'we're each other's lobster' crap. The writers were so set on them being endgame, they didn't want to put in the work of proving why they were good together, they just wanted it to be obvious. With Monica and Chandler, they...they had growth, they had obstacles to overcome, with him going to Tulsa to work, her not being able to have children...if anything, you and Nora are way more like Chandler and Monica and not just quirk wise. I mean look at everything you've had to endure, her being possessed by Mallus, her crazy ass dad, her being in prison and a fugitive, you being a Legend...it all fits, bro." 

Ray was beaming by the time Nate was done and he pulled Nate into a one armed hug, causing Nate to squawk at the suddenness of it before he managed to catch himself and not completely knock both of them off the high chairs they were sitting on onto the floor. "Thanks, man, that means a lot to hear!" 

"You're welcome." Nate smiled at him, patting Ray's thigh. 

"You know if you need help with Zari..." He offered.

"No, no no, we are not..." He waved a hand. "Zari and I aren't anything. I mean...yes, I could...she's a great girl, I like her a lot. But I know we'd never work. She's...we're not compatible. We're Ross and Rachael. I need to find my Monica." 

Ray shook his head. "We can't both be Chandler. If anything, you're Joey."

"How do you figure?" Nate asked, looking at him weirdly. 

Ray beamed. "Because you're good with the ladies, you always find a way to be successful, you're a great bro to Chandler...me. So if anything...by your logic...you should get your Rachael." 

Nate laughed. "Uh, sure, I guess." 

Ray eyed him. "Or maybe you're...are you more into the Joey and Chandler ship?"

Nate turned bright red. 

Ray smirked. "You know Nora's always wanted to try a threesome." 

"Ray!" Nate yelped, turning even more red before hiding his face in his hands. 

"Are you saying you're opposed?" Ray nudged him.

"I'm not saying that." He mumbled, his voice distorted through his hands. 

"Mr. Palmer if I may interrupt." Gideon spoke up. "I thought you'd want to know there has been changes to the time line, in 1973."

"1973?" Ray repeated, scrunching up his face. "But how? We saved Nixon, we got him to Florida, he made the exact speech he was supposed to make..."

"Yes, well, that wasn't the problem." Gideon brought up an image in front of the two of them and Nate looked at it curiously.

"This is Nixon's famous enemies list." He pointed out. 

"What's so wrong with that?" Ray asked, confused.

Nate suddenly burst out laughing, holding on to the table in front of him. Huge guffaws came out of him and tears ran out of his eyes, down his cheeks, dripping off of his face. 

"What?" Ray asked. "Nate, what's so funny?" 

Nate couldn't speak, so he just pointed to the list helplessly, starting to hiccup viciously because of his laughter.

Ray rolled his eyes and focused on the list, reading off each name. He knew the entire thing by heart, but he scanned it anyway. "Wait...why am I number five on the list? What happened to Charles Dyson?" 

"It seems, Mr. Palmer, you made quite the impression on the former President Nixon." Gideon answered in her own helpful but not helpful way.

Ray stood up quickly, full of indignation and righteous irritation. "I was nice to him, damn it! Sara was the one who kept knocking him out, why isn't she on the list?!"

"Dude..." Nate wiped at his face, managing to get himself under control. "Ray, bro..." He started knowingly. "Did Sara give Nixon her name?" 

"No..." Ray said slowly, and Nate could tell it was dawning on him.

"Did you?" He asked, holding back a smile.

"DAMN IT!" Ray exclaimed loudly, his voice echoing around the walls of the ship, which only served to set Nate off again, and this time he actually did fall off the chair onto the floor.


End file.
